Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. D.Khatinoglu / Sharp changes in France's policy against Iran due to the nuclear program means France is pursuing its economic interests, Hossein Lajavardi, the Chairman of the Association of Iranian Research.
France demanded to impose tough sanctions on Iran during the meeting of the UN General Assembly on 25 September. Despite this, there are sources confirming the presence of French companies operating in Iran and about newly-signed contracts.
The Iranian Government must pay $5.7bln to France, Lajavardi said by telephone from London on 26 September. The biggest companies operating in Iran have serious economic contracts. The French TOTAL company functioning in Iran invested $4bln in the Iranian gas production plant Pars-Janubi. The biggest automobile firms, Peugeot, Renault, and Citroen have economic contracts with Iran.
France does not exclude military actions against Iran. In case war is launched, France will ally itself with the US and create a base for developing its economy, the Iranian political scientist said.
Iraq had to pay $12bln to France and support the French President for stabilizing Iraq causing the country to lose its money and economic contracts in Iran.
French President Nikolas Sarkozy does not exclude that war against Iran will occur. France wants to participate in the war and to provide its economic investment after the occupation, Lajavardi added.
Most countries were interested in Iran's oil incomes of $70bln. Furthermore, there is information about the acts of terrorism that occurred in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and many other countries conducted by Iran. Iran cannot avoid charges of terror acts even if the country stops its nuclear program.
"I believe that the US will attack Iran in the near future, maybe in April. The war is inevitable. France's participation in the war guarantees its economic interests in Iran," the Iranian economic scientist said.